Springfield, IL – As Chicago reels from a rise in violent crime, Governor Pritzker has made it clear he does not regret his late-night comedy bit mocking the city’s crime crisis.
During a media availability this week, the Governor was asked whether he regretted appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live wearing a bulletproof vest and joking about Chicago violence. Pritzker said he had “no regrets” and claimed that “everybody needs a laugh.”
While the Governor sought applause on national television, Illinois families are facing a far different reality.
In just the last few weeks:
• A woman was set on fire aboard a CTA train.
• A mother and her two children were attacked walking home from school.
• A teenage boy was killed and eight others were wounded during a downtown Christmas tree lighting.
• A man with an intellectual disability was pushed onto CTA tracks after an assailant demanded money.
“The Governor should be regretting the horrific SAFE-T Act he signed into law, which has left Illinois families less safe and allowed repeat offenders to continue causing harm,” said State Representative and current law enforcement officer John M. Cabello.
Cabello continued, “I just wish the Governor put the same energy into real public safety reforms that he does into writing jokes with his Hollywood elite pals.”
With violent crime shaking communities across the state, Pritzker now says he is open to tweaking the SAFE-T Act. House Republicans welcome the shift and have already introduced nearly 40 bills to fix the flawed Act and restore public safety.
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